midst of their distress, they are soothed by an internal consciousness, that they are affected as it becomes them to be; that they feel as they ought to feel; and they are gradually relieved by the hope rising in their breast of finding mercy and acceptance with their Creator and Redeemer. Where the mind is properly instructed in religion, it will not long be left in a state of overwhelming dejection, but will return to tranquillity, and repossess again the joy of the Lord. When we consider, next, the disposition of a good man towards his fellow-creatures, we shall find here the joy of the Lord exerting its influence fully. That mild and benevolent temper to which he is formed by virtue and piety; a temper that is free from envious and malignant passions, and that can look with the eye of candour and humanity on surrounding characters; is a constant spring of cheerfulness and serenity. Indeed, if there be joy at all in human life, it is, perhaps, in this state of the mind that it is most sensibly felt, and felt with the least check or allay. It is truly said, to the wicked there is no peace. In proportion as any one of the bad passions predominates in the breast, it never fails in the same proportion to corrode the heart, and to shed over all the comforts of life a poisonous and baneful influence. Whereas, all those exercises of friendship, compassion, and generosity, which are essential to the disposition of a virtuous man, are to him lively enjoyments of pleasure in themselves, and increase the satisfaction which he tastes in all the other innocent pleasures of life. He knows that he enjoys them along with the good-will and the blessings of all to whom he has studied to do good. When he can cheer the dejected or gladden the sorrowful, he is cheered and gladdened himself. If his circumstances allow him not to do all the good he wishes to have done, yet in the consciousness of good intentions there is always an inward satisfaction; and in those lesser offices of kindness and humanity which are within the sphere of every man to perform, he enjoys innumerable occasions of being pleased and happy. With respect to that part of religion which consists in the government of a man's own mind, of his passions and desires, it may be thought that much joy is not to be expected. For there religion appears to lay on a severe and restraining hand. Strict temperance and selfdenial are often requisite; and much is on some occasions abridged, of what is apt to be reckoned the full and free enjoyment of life. Yet here also it will be found, that the joy of the Lord takes place. To a person just reclaimed from the excesses of sensual indulgence, the restraints imposed by virtue will, at first, appear uncouth and mortifying. But let him begin to be accustomed to a regular life, and his taste will soon be rectified, and his feelings will change. In purity, temperance, and self-government, there is found a satisfaction in the mind, similar to what results from the enjoyment of perfect health in the body. A man is then conscious that all is sound within. There is nothing that gnaws his spirit; that makes him ashamed of himself; or discomposes his calm and orderly enjoyment of life. His conscience testifies that he is acting honourably. He enjoys the satisfaction of being master of himself. He feels that no man can accuse him of degrading his character by base pleasures or low pursuits; and knows that he will be honoured and esteemed by those whose honour and esteem he would most desire; all which are sensations most pleasing and gratifying to every human heart. From this slight sketch it plainly appears that there is an inward satis faction, justly termed the joy of the Lord, which runs through all the parts of religion. This is a very different view of religion from what is entertained by those who consider it as a state of perpetual penance; to which its votaries unwillingly submit, merely from the dread of punishment in hell; and who bargain for the rewards of another world, by a renunciation of all that is agreeable or comfortable to man in this world. Such conceptions of religion are contradicted by the experience of every truly virtuous man, and are directly opposite to the views of religion given us in the word of God; wherein its ways are termed ways of pleasantness and paths of peace; and where we are assured, that in the keeping of God's commands, there is an immediate great reward. But what it concerns us at present to remark is, that some experience of this joy of the Lord which I have described, enters as an essential part into the character of every good man. In proportion to the degree of his goodness, to his improvement and progress in virtue, will be the degree of his participation in the pleasure and joy of religion. But wherever such pleasure is entirely unknown; wherever there is no satisfaction and delight in the discharge of virtuous duties, there we are obliged to conclude, that religion does not subsist in its genuine state. It is either a sanctimonious show merely; a forced appearance of piety and virtue, tinctured, perhaps, with some deep shades of superstition; or at best, it is religion in its most weak and imperfect state. It is deficient in the regeneration of the heart. The man himself is in a divided and hovering state, between two opposite principles of action; partly affecting to be obedient to God's commands, and partly a slave to the world. The truth and importance of this observation will more fully appear, when we proceed to what was proposed for the IId head of discourse-to shew in what respects the joy of the Lord is justly said to be the strength of the righteous. In the first place, it is the animating principle of virtue; it supports its influence, and assists it in becoming both persevering and progressive. Experience may teach us that few undertakings are lasting or successful, which are accompanied with no pleasure. If a man's religion be considered merely as a task prescibed to him, which he feels burdensome and oppressive, it is not likely that he will long constrain himself to act against the bent of inclination. It is not until he feels somewhat within him which attracts him to his duty, that he can be expected to be constant and zealous in the performance of it. Was it ever found that a person advanced far in any art or study, whether of the liberal or mechanical kind, in which he had no pleasure, to which he had no heart, but which, from motives merely of interest or fear, he was compelled to undertake? Is it then to be thought that religion will prove the only exception to what holds so generally, and will continue an actuating principle of conduct, whether we love it for its own sake, or not? It is true, that a sense of duty may sometimes exercise its authority, though there be no sensations of pleasure to assist it. Belief of those religious principles in which we were educated, and dread of future punishment, will, in cases where no strong temptation assails us, restrain from the commission of atrocious crimes, and produce some decent regularity of external conduct. But on occasions when inclination or interest prompt to some transgression of virtue, which safety or secrecy encourages, and which the example of the world seems to countenance; when the present advantage or pleasure appears to be all on one side, and no satisfaction arises to counterbalance it on the other; is it to be thought that conscience will then stand its ground, with one who never was attached to virtue on its own account, and never experienced any joy in following its dictates?-But these are the occasions when the joy of the Lord proves the strength of the righteous man. Accustomed to take pleasure in doing his duty; accustomed to look up to God with delight and complacency, and to feel himself happy in all the offices of kindness and humanity to men around him; accustomed to rejoice in a clear conscience, in a pure heart, and the hope of heavenly bliss; he cannot think of parting with such satisfaction for the sake of any worldly bribe. There is something within his heart, that pleads for religion and virtue. He has seen their beauty; he has tasted their sweetness; and having such pleasures within himself, to oppose to all the pleasures of sin, he is enabled to maintain his integrity inviolate; or, if in any degree he has deviated from it, speedy remorse is awakened, and he cannot be satisfied with himself till he returns back to the right path. Thus, through the joy of the Lord, religion becomes in him the spirit of love, and power, and of a sound mind. (2 Tim. i. 7.) It is the peace of God which passeth understanding, keeping his mind and heart. (Phil. iv. 7.) It is the path of the just which is as the light, shining more and more unto the perfect day. In the next place, the joy of the Lord is the strength of the righteous, as it is their great support under the discouragements and trials of life. In the days of their ease and prosperity, it guards them, as has been shewn, against the temptations of vice; and in the general tenor of conduct attaches them to the side of virtue; and when the evil days come, wherein they shall have no pleasure from the world, it supplies them with | pleasures of another kind, to preserve them from improper despondency, or from entering into evil discourses for the sake of relief.-A good man's friends may forsake him; or may die and leave him to mourn. His fortune may fail, or his health decay. Calumny and reproach may unjustly attack his character. In circumstances of this kind, where worldly men become peevish, dispirited, and fretful, he who is acquainted with the pleasures of religion and virtue, can possess himself calm and undisturbed. He has resources within unknown to the world, whence light arises to him in darkness. From the gloom or turbulence of external evils, he can retreat to the enjoyment of his own mind. In the exercises of devotion, his heart is elevated, and the cares of the world are forgotten. In his regular discharge of all the social duties of life, he finds cheerfulness and pleasure. Hence his temper is not soured. He accuses neither God nor man for the unavoidable misfortunes of life. He submits with patience to the common lot; looking forward with good hope to better days; retaining always honourable thoughts of God's providence, and sentiments of candour towards men. --In this manner, his experience of the joy of the Lord becomes his strength; as infusing into his mind a principle of firmness and stability, and enabling him, in every situation of fortune, to continue the same. From the view which we have now taken of the subject, it must clearly appear, that to every one who wishes to possess the spirit, and to support the character, of genuine goodness and virtue, it is an object most desirable and important, to acquire a prevailing relish for the pleasures of religion. As this is a most important object, so also it is an attainable one by every man whose intentions are sincerely upright. For let it be remembered, that the joy of the Lord, of the righteous, is not to be understood as a privilege belonging only to saints of the highest order, who can assuredly trust to their being the chosen of God. It is not to be understood of high raptures, and transports of religious fervour. It is not even confined to the sole pleasures or intercourse with God in devotion; though assuredly these constitute one great part of the joy of the Lord, and are auxiliary to its exercises on every other occasion. The joy of the Lord is to be understood of that joy, which accompanies the whole of religious and virtuous practice; that satisfaction which a good man feels in the discharge of his duty, which accompanies the performance of all the offices which belong to the station of life in which he is placed; whether these be of a public nature or private, social or domestic, or relating particularly to the exercises of religious worship and devotion. which I have described as the strength it is not to be dissembled, that much is against us in our endeavours to have our dispositions formed for relishing virtuous pleasures. We breathe in this world a sort of vitiated air, very unfriendly to the health and soundness of all our moral feelings. From our earliest youth we are bred up in admiration of the external advantages of fortune; and are accustomed to hear them extolled as the only real and substantial goods. We must therefore begin by studying to correct these false ideas, and persuading ourselves that there are other things besides riches, honours, and sensual pleasures, that are good for man; that there are joys of a spiritual and intellectual nature, which directly affect the mind and heart, and which confer a satisfaction both more refined and more lasting than any worldly circumstances can confer. In order to have a fair trial of the value and effect of those spiritual enjoyments, we must forbear polluting ourselves with gross and guilty plea To attain this spirit, of considering the discharge of our duty as our pleasures; we must even refrain from insure and happiness, is certainly not incompatible with our present state of infirmity. It is no more than what good men have often attained, and have testified of it; that their delight was in the law of God; that his statutes were sweet to their taste; that they had taken them as an heritage for ever, for they were the rejoicing of their heart. I delight to do thy will, O my God; thy law is within my heart. (Psal. xl. 8; cxix. 111.)-According to the proficiency which men have made of virtue, will be the degree of satisfaction which they receive from the performance of it; but where no pleasures or satisfactions of this kind are known, men have much ground to distrust their pretensions to godliness or Christianity. It is therefore of high importance, that all proper means be employed to form our internal taste to a proper relish for this joy of the Lord. For dulging worldly pleasures, that appear innocent, in a profuse and intemperate degree, lest they sensualize and debase our feelings. By preserving a wise and manly temperance in lower pleasures and pursuits, we will then allow those of a higher kind to occupy their proper place; and shall be in a situation fairly to compare the pure sensations of pleasure which arise from the consciousness of discharging our duty, with the transient and turbid gratifications of sin and the world. To such endeavours of our own, for rectifying and improving our taste of pleasure, let us join frequent and fervent prayer to God, that he may enlighten and reform our hearts; and by his spirit, communicate that joy to our souls, which descends from him, and which he has annexed to every part of religion and virtue, as the strength of the righteous. SERMON LXXXVIII. ON THE FOLLY OF THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD. The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.-) Cor. iii. 19. THE judgment which we form of ourselves often differs widely from that which is formed of us by God, whose judgment alone is always conformable to the truth. In our opinion of the abilities which we imagine ourselves to possess, there is always much selfflattery; and in the happiness which we expect to enjoy in this world, there is always much deceit. As there is a worldly happiness, which God perceives to be no other than concealed misery; as there is a worldly honour, which in his estimation is reproach; so, as the text informs us, there is a wisdom of this world, which is foolishness with God. Assuredly there is nothing in which it imports us more that our judgment should agree with the truth, than in what relates to wisdom. It is the qualification upon which every man is inclined to value himself, more than on any other. They who can with patience suffer imputations on other parts of their character, are ready to lose their temper, and to feel sore and hurt when they are attacked for deficiency in prudence and judgment. Wisdom is justly considered as the guide of conduct. If any capital errors shall take place respecting it; if one shall mistake that for wisdom which at bottom is mere folly; such a mistake will pervert the first principles of conduct, and be perpetually misleading a man through the whole of life.-As the text plainly intimates that this mistake does often take place in the world, and as it materially concerns us all to be on our guard against so great a danger, I shall endeavour to shew, first, what the nature and spirit of that wisdom of the world is, which is here condemned; and next, in what sense and on what account it is styled foolishness with God. I. Let us consider the nature of that wisdom which is reprobated in the text as foolishness with God. It is styled the wisdom of this world; that is, the wisdom which is most current, and most prized in this world, the wisdom which particularly distinguishes the character of those who are commonly known by the name of men of the world. Its first and most noted distinction is, that its pursuits are confined entirely to the temporal advantages of the world. Spiritual blessings, or moral improvements, the man of this spirit rejects as a sort of airy unsubstantial enjoyments, which he leaves to the speculative and the simple; attaching himself wholly to what he reckons the only solid goods, the possession of riches and influence, of reputation and power, together with all the conveniences and pleasures which opulent rank or station can procure. In pursuit of these favourite ends, he is not in the least scrupulous as to his choice of means. If he prefer those which are the fairest, it is not because they are fair, but because they seem to him most likely to prove successful. He is sensible that it is for his interest to preserve decorums, and to stand well in the public opinion. Hence he is seldom an open ly profligate man, or marked by any glaring enormities of conduct. In this respect, his character differs from that of those who are commonly called men of pleasure. Them he considers as a thoughtless, giddy herd, who are the victims of passion and momentary impulse. The thoroughbred man of the world is more steady |